The Dunkin' Donuts Buttered Bagel Battle

Sometimes, the ripoffs that are the most frustrating are the smallest ones: small transactions that are repeated thousands of times and eventually add up to some real money. Brian has one such issue with his local Dunkin’ Donuts outlets: they keep charging him too much for a bagel with butter. Seems petty, doesn’t it? They charge him for a bagel with spread, then charge separately for the butter, at a difference of $1 for every bagel. If he buys a bagel five days a week, fifty weeks a year, that’s $250 over the course of a year. He could be halfway to buying an iPad, just on butter overcharges.

I have been having an ongoing problem at 5 different Dunkin Donuts throughout the [redacted] suburbs. I have been overcharged and shortchanged. Last year, around this time, I had a one hour conversation with a regional manager, who, in appreciation of my feedback, told me that he was going to send me some thank you coupons (which I never received). Well, today, again, I was overcharged, but the scam is the same as at the other locations.

I ordered a toasted bagel with butter, and a medium coffee.

Stated pricing on menu board:

Bagel: $1.09

Butter: $.20

Medium Coffee $1.69

On the receipt that I received, and this is the fifth time this has happened, they charged me for the following:

Bagel with spread: $2.09

Butter: $.20

Medium Coffee: $1.69

They charge you twice, once for the bagel with spread (which is only for cream cheese which I did not order) and then they try to tack on the butter as well. When you bring this to their attention, they argue you with you and then tell you to take the difference out of the tip jar in front of other customers. There are some Dunkin Donuts where I have not had this problem, but others where not only this happens, but they do not give you the correct change.

When I posted this on facebook, I received a big response of other people who have also been scammed at Dunkin Donuts, in the same manner. This needs to be looked into.

“Scam” implies that the restaurants are doing this intentionally, which may not be the case. What do they charge for a toasted bagel without butter? Are the other outlets that do charge correctly for the bagel owned by the same franchisee? Either way, if the problem continues, take the issue above the regional manager’s head.

Have any other buttered-bagel fans out there in Consumeristland experienced the same issue?